Undergarment



Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,207 S. B. HANES UNDERGARMENT Filed April 25, 1927 Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES were? PATENT OFFICE.

SPENCER B. HANES, F WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO P. H. HANES KNITTING COMPANY, OF WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA.

UNDERGABMENT.

Application filed April 25, 1927. Serial No. 186,264.

This invention relates to undergarments of the kind in which upper and lower members made of inelastic material are connected by a narrow elastic knitted band in the back of the garment, whereby strain is reliev'ed on the fabric forming the upper and lower garment member and thus tearing of the garment is to a large extent avoided and the comfort of the garment tothe owner is increased. It has been found, however, that in order. to prevent the band from tearing or becoming unduly or permanently stretched, it was necessary to reinforce or strengthen the band at the middle portion thereof where the. greatest strain is encoun tered and therefore patches or relatively small pieces of elastic 0r non-elastic fabric have been secured to the garment or to. theband which to a large'extent serve the intended purpose.

I have shown that improved results are obtained by thickening the middle portion of the band by knitting into it additional yarns which serve to materially strengthen the band and without impairing its elasticifty make it more durable and comfortable and reduce the time required to attach the band with the reinforcing element to the garment.

My improvement is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the rear portion of a union suit with my improvements applied and showing also how the garment is worn.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view showing how the band made in accordance with my invention is secured to the upper and lower members of the garment.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal or horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Flgure 2.

Figure 4 shows a. vertical section on the line 1-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a diagram showing how addltional yarns are knit into the bands to strengthen them.

In Figure 1, A. indicates the upper member of the garment and B the lower member. These members may be made of nainsook or other suitable inelastic material; C indicates the'knitted elastic band interposed between the two garment members at the back of the garment across the waist in the usual way, generally speaking. The end portions number of'yarns may be used to knit'the end portions 0, 0, but in any event, additional yarns are employed to knit the middle port on 0 The manner in which this operation is performed is illustrated in Figure 5, the two yarns for the thickened middle portion of the band .being indicated at c, 0

In my application for patent filed April 29, 1927, No. 187,575 I have described and claimed a method of making bands of'the kind herein shown and claimed as applied to a garment.

The band may be secured to the upper and lower members of the garment in any suitable way. As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the band is turned along its horizontal and vertical edges and. stitched to correspondingly turned adjacent edges of the garment members as indicated at m and y but other ways of attaching the band to the garment members may be employed. It will be observed that there are no extra patches or pieces of material applied to the band, the reinforcing element being integral with the band. The reinforcing band as a whole may be readily attached to the garment members, the time heretofore required to attach separate reinforcing elements being saved. The reinforced portion of the band may, if preferred, be knit somewhat more loosely than the end portions thereof. The band reinforced in accordance with my invention is of attractive appearance. It is strong and durable. It gives gradually and easily to accommodate the body movements of the wearer, is not liable to tear or become permanently distorted and thus longer life to the garment and greater comfort to the wearer is insured.

Furthermore, the time required to make and apply the bands, made in accordance with my invention, to the upper and lower members of the garments is greatly reduced, and thus the expense of the manufacture is aiso reduced.

The band is elastic throughout its length and while the middle portion of the band s not as elastic as the end portions, its elast1city is not impeded, lessened or limited by the presence of patches stitched to the band as in some prior constructions.

I claim as my invention:

1. An undergarment comprising upper and lower members of inelastic material having an elastic band interposed between them and secured thereto at the back of the garmentmade of knitted yarns and reinforced between its ends by additional yarns knit into it to thnsthicken and strengthen it at the part where greateststrain is encountered.

2. An nndergarment comprising upper and lower members of inelastic material having an elastic band interposed between them and secured thereto at the back of the garmenhanade of knited yarns reinforced and thickened and thus strengthened midway between its ends by additional yarns knit into it throughout said middle portion to thus resist tearing of the garment members and the band.

3. An elastic band for non-elastic undergarments made of knitted yarns having an integral elastic, knitted, thickened, reinforcing portion mid-way between its ends.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

SPENCER B. HANES. 

